More overseas NBA games in the works

LOS ANGELES • Japan's Rui Hachimura and France's Killian Hayes will have the chance to play before their home-nation fans with pre-season National Basketball Association (NBA) games resuming next month after a two-year layoff due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Warm-up contests are set for Japan and Abu Dhabi while Paris and Mexico City will host regular season games as the league, with nearly 70 per cent of its social media followers from outside the United States, sends its stars to thrill a worldwide audience.

"We're so excited to be bringing our live games back to our fans around the world," NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum told Agence France-Presse on Thursday. "It's a way for us to bring cultures together, to bring people together and to bring our fans together."

Though NBA game telecasts were already viewed by fans in 214 nations and in more than 50 languages last season, Tatum says the return to live games overseas is "an important part of our business strategy".

"There's nothing like going to an NBA game for the hundreds of millions of fans around the world and we want fans to experience the game live," he added.

The NBA, with 25 per cent of its players from outside the United States, felt that this upcoming season, teams could comfortably and confidently return overseas after a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19.

"It has been very difficult over the last two years with the pandemic," Tatum said.

The NBA, with 97 per cent of players and 100 per cent of staff vaccinated, consulted doctors, medical specialists and officials in each city before finalising the global schedule.

"We've learnt, as the world has learnt, to move on with Covid and this is the right time," Tatum said. "We're able to bring back the games. We're confident we can keep everyone safe and healthy."

That includes the Milwaukee Bucks, led by two-time Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Atlanta Hawks playing the first NBA games in the Middle East when they meet on Oct 6 and 8 during their pre-season in Abu Dhabi.

"They have got a world-class facility," Tatum said. "They know how to do it well."

Reigning NBA champions the Golden State Warriors will visit Japan for pre-season games on Sept 30 and Oct 2 against the Washington Wizards, who have Hachimura in their ranks, while the Chicago Bulls will meet Hayes and the Detroit Pistons in a regular season game in Paris on Jan 19.

The Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs will also meet in Mexico City in a regular season game on Dec 17.

More global games are in the works, Tatum said, noting: "There are more markets that want games than we can have them... there are still a lot of opportunities."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE